Made after the commercial success of La Ronde, this portmanteau film from
director Max Ophuls is an impressively fluid adaptation of three short stories
by Guy De Maupassant

Roving with his dazzlingly mobile camera around the decadent ballrooms, bucolic
countryside retreats, urban bordellos, and painter's studios of late
nineteenth-century French life, Max Ophuls brings his astonishing visual
dexterity and storytelling bravura to this triptych of tales by Guy de
Maupassant about the limits of spiritual and physical pleasure. Featuring a
stunning cast of French stars (including Danielle Darrieux, Jean Gabin, and
Simone Simon), Le plaisir pinpoints the cruel ironies and happy
compromises of life with a charming and sophisticated breeziness.

• Introduction
by filmmaker Todd Haynes (17:40)
• English and German-language versions of the opening
narration
• From Script to Screen, a video essay featuring film scholar
Jean-Pierre Berthomé discussing the evolution of Max Ophuls’s screenplay
for Le plaisir (19:52)
• Interviews with actor Daniel Gélin, assistant director Tony
Aboyantz, and set decorator Robert Christidès
• 18-page liner notes booklet with a new essay by film critic
Robin Wood

DVD Release Date: September 16th, 2008Custom
slipcase
Chapters: 21

Comments:

ADDITION: Criterion - September 08': I
got in some heck from DVD-aficionados that I wasn't critical enough
of the Second Sight transfers. To be honest I was more thrilled to own
the 4 films on DVD - and the package received numerous
DVD of the Year votes in 2006.

The Criterion is pictureboxed transferred (see our
full description of 'pictureboxing' in our
Kind Hearts and Coronets review) with a black border
circumventing the framed image. It looks to have been digitally cleaned
and the manipulation of contrast appears to have removed some detail
from the image. This appears akin to our comments for Criterion's issue
of Keisuke Kinoshita's
Twenty
Four Eyes. Surprisingly, the PAL image, in this case, may be
marginally superior despite its brightness boosting. The Criterion is a
shade darker throughout. Contrast may (or may not) lean to Criterion despite the
prevalent flickering and muddiness that I noticed. It is heavier than I would like.
The NTSC disc seems to show quite a few artifacts as well despite being
dual-layered. The Second Sight appears to show a shade more information
in the frame - mostly on the right edge. The PAL disc shows a bit more
dirt and prominence in light scratches/speckles although I didn't find
this intrusive.

Criterion have a clear mono track with optional English subtitles.
Although I didn't scrutinize - I didn't notice any prominent differences
in the subtitle translations.

In regards to supplements - two are repeated from the
Second Sight DVD - the enjoyable and informative Todd Haynes 17 minute
introduction and the 20-minute From Script to Screen video essay
featuring film scholar Jean-Pierre Berthomé discussing the evolution of
Max Ophuls’s screenplay for Le plaisir. Criterion lose the
wonderful, 54-minute,
A Journey Through le Plaisir. However it gains the English
and German-language options of the opening narration. Ophuls recorded
two narrations - one in each language - using two of his favorite actors
- Peter Ustinov and Anton Walbrook. NOTE: In the 'English' version the
dialogue remains in French while in the German version - the entire film
is dubbed into German. This is just an excerpt of the opening narration
in each language. Nostalgic interviews starting with actor Daniel Gélin
(who worked with Hitchcock, Cocteau and Louis Malle) from 1989 by
Martina Muller (as are all three interviews). It is 12-minutes long.
There is another with assistant director Tony Aboyantz whose first job
was working on Le Plaisir - he would later work with Ophuls on
Lola Montes. It is 13-minutes long. Lastly we have set decorator Robert Christidès - who worked for over 30-years in that occupation. He has
much to share in his 15 minutes with Martina. Criterion include a
wonderful 18-page liner notes booklet with photos and a new essay by
film, and friend, critic Robin Wood.

I'm content to own both packages and they both have
value. The film is a masterpiece of subtleties and although I'm a bit
shocked at Criterion's slightly lesser image quality - I doubt many
purchasers' systems would identify it to an overly extensive degree. The
flickering was a bit off-putting although perhaps this is the best that
can be done digitally barring a more advanced restoration.

We will try to review/compare the other two titles in
the upcoming days. Stay tuned.

ON THE SECOND SIGHT: This transfer looks very nice -
healthy detail and acceptable contrast (there may be some
slight boosting, but it is not blanketed and therefore considered a form
of restoration).

A Journey Through le Plaisir , almost 1 hour,
is a fabulous extra - solid information on both the film and Ophuls -
worth the price of the disc alone. Todd Haynes gives another great introduction
and there is another featurette - From Script to Screen. Only
lacking a commentary this has some substantial extras - very worthwhile
viewing in my opinion.

I'm very appreciative that this and the other Ophuls DVDs
came out - quality is better than I anticipated and the films are
must-owns for serious films fans. We again recommend!